Attachment for lathes and the like



Fb.5,1946. L. G. HILL 2,394,175

ATTACHMENT FOR LATHES AND THE LIKE Filed Sept. 28, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. LOUIS G. HILL FebS, 194s. L a-HILL 2,394,175

ATTACHMENT FOR LATHES AND THE LIKE Filed Sept. 28, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 v INVENTOR.

LOUIS G. H ILL ATTORNEYS Patented Feb. 5, 1946 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Y 2,394,125 7 ATTACHMENT, on LATHES AND THE LIKE' "Louis mu, Damn, Mich. Application September 28,1942,-Serial No. 459,960

Z'Qlaims. This invention relates generally to. machine tools and refers more particularly to an improved attachmentrfor lathes. a

One of the principalobj ects of this invention is to provide an auxiliary tool or attachment capable 7:,

which enables the use of the various compound feeds to operate the attachment.

The foregoing, as well as other objects, will be made more apparent as this description proceeds, especially when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure .1 is airagmentary perspective view of a lathe having an attachment constructed in accordance with this invention;

Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1 showing the parts in a difierent position;

Figure 3 is a side elevational View of the attachment;

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 44 of Figure 2;

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 2;

Figure 6 is a cross sectional view taken on the line 6--6 of Figure 3; and

Figure 7 is a cross sectional view taken on the line 1-1 of Figure 5.

For the purpose of illustrating the present invention, I have shown my improved auxiliary tool as attachable to a conventional metal turning lathe. Briefly, the lathe comprises a bed In having head and tail stocks II and I2, respectively, supported thereon in the usual manner. The head stock H is provided with a tool supporting spindle l3 and the latter is driven at various speeds in accordance with the usual practice.

A carriage I4 is supported on the bed In of the lathe between the head stock H and tail stock l2 for sliding movement longitudinally of the bed ID. The carriage is guided throughout its sliding movement relative to the bed In by V and flat ways I5 and 16 respectively. Also the carriage M has a part 11 which is movable in opposite directions transversely of the longitudinal movement of the carriage in order to provide the desired cross feed, as well as the longitudinal feed. Both of these feeds may or may not be power operated insofarias the present invention is concerned.

The cross feed part I! of the carriage l4 supports the usual compound Hi. The compound :I-B isslidably supported on a swivel l9 which, in turn, .is carried by the part I]. This construction .enables the compound to :be located in any one of a plurality of positions with respect to the spindle The auxiliary tool forming the subject matter of this invention is attachable .to the compound 18 for movement as e. unit therewith. In detail, the auxiliary tool or attachmentcomprises ,a

frame or a support '20 and a dividing head .2].

The frame or support 20 is alternatively attach able in two diiierent positions to the compound l8 and is provided with angularly spaced attaching flanges 22 and 22 for this purpose. The flanges are selectively clamped to the compound by a clamp 23 having a substantially inverted T-shaped cross sectional area corresponding .to

i the invertedT-shaped recess or guide 24' formed in the compound la. The arrangement is .such

as to enable the clamp to be readily .slidably engaged in the recess or guide 24", when desired. Suitable bolts 23 are provided for securing the clamp to the compound l8 and 'for alternatively securing the flanges 22 and 22' to the clamp. Provision is also made herein for accurately positioning the clamp and, accordingly, the auxiliary attachment relative to the compound Hi. This is accomplished by securing an end plate 2| to one end of the clamp 23' by an adjusting screw 25'. The opposite ends of the plate overlap the adjacent surface of the'compound at one end of the recess or guide 24' so that manipulation of the screw 25' adjusts the auxiliary attachment relative to the compound.

The support 20 is also formed with a pair of laterally spaced vertically extending gibs 25 which cooperate with one another to guide a vertically movable slide 28. In the present instance, the slide 26 is vertically adjusted by a micrometer screw 21 supported for rotation between the gibs 25 by means of a bearing 28 formed integral with the upper end of the support 20. The lower end of the screw is threaded into the upper end of the slide 26 in such a manner that rotation of the screw in opposite directions raises and lowers the slide relative to the support 20. The screw is manipulated by means of a handle 29 secured to the upper end of the screw and having a calitherethrough for rotatably supporting a spindle 32. In the illustrated embodiment of the invention, the spindle 32 is externally threaded to enable a suitable work holding member to be readily attached thereto. This work holding member is not shown herein but may be either;

in the form of a face plate or achuckr V The spindle 32 is rotatably adiustedstepby step through the medium of irreversible gearing 1 supported in the housing 3|. This gearing comprises a worm wheel 33 secured'to thespindle 32 and adapted to mesh with a worm 3 4- which,-

in turn, is secured to a shaft 35. The shaft 35 is journaled in a bushing 36 which is clamped in: an extension 31 ofthe housing 3!. The upper 'endofthe shaft 35'proiects beyond thebushing 35 and is rotated bya -manually operated crank 38 having'a slidable plunger 39 at the-outer end "thereof adapted to successively engage in suitable openings flfl formed in an indexing disc 4| adjacent the periphery of the latter. The indexing discis secured to the upper end of the bushing 36 against rotation with the shaft 35 andthe openings 40 are spaced from each other circumferentially of the disc to enable the shaft 35 to be rotated predetermined increments in opposite directions. Inasmuch as the shaft 35 is connect-- ed to the spindle 32 throughthe medium of the worm gearing, it follows that the spindle is moved step bystep at a reduced speed. This arrangement renders it possible ,to obtain precision adjustmentof the spindle 32 about its axis and such action is,'of course, desirable in performing certain operations.

' In accordance with this invention provision is made herein for adjusting the position of the ofthe worm in directions toward and away from the worm wheel. The eccentric is adjusted by means of a screw head 43 accessible for manipulation exteriorly of the housing and adapted to be locked in any one of its various adjusted posi- 5 tions by means of the lock screw 44.

Thus, from the foregoing it will be observed that I have provided a relatively simple, compact and inexpensive auxiliary tool capable of being readily attached to the compound of a conventional metal turning lathe. It will also, be noted that my improved attachment is not only capable of all of the numerous adjustments provided by ithe compound but is also capable of vertical and H rotative DVements. In general, the auxiliary tool-or attachmentenables milling machine and j 'dividinghead operations to be performed on the workby merely using an orthodox lathe.

What I claim as my invention is: ,1-. attachment for machine tools comprising a vertical support, a slide mounted on the support for verticalisliding movementin opposite directions relative to the support, a spindle rotatably mounted on the slidejmeans carried by the slide and'operatively connected to the spindle for rotating the spindle throughout a plurality of increments of travel; and angularly spacedattaching flanges alternately attachable to amachine tool to locate the axis of the spindle in different angular positions with respect to the machine tool. j 1

2. An attachmentfor machine tools comprising a vertical support; a slide mounted on the support for vertical sliding movement in opposite directions relative to the support,.a housing fixed to the slide for movement with the latter, a rotatable spindle journaled inthe housing with its axis of rotation'extending substantially perpendicular to the plane of sliding movement of the slide, a worm wheel secured to the spindle 40 within the housing, a worm also rotatably supported in the housing and meshing with the worm wheel, indexing means for rotating the spindle through the worm and worm wheel, and angularly fspaced attaching flanges alternately attachable to a machine tool to locate'the axis of the-sp'indle-in difierent angular positions with respect to the m'achin'e'tool. a LOUIS G. HILL. 

